1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to accessories for musical instruments and more specifically to an instructional aid which incorporates a fingering guide which may be selectively mounted to a woodwind instrument. The fingering guide is mounted to an elongated platform which provides a protective cover for the keys and/or tone holes of the instrument and supports the instrument relative to a surface when the instrument is not in use. Also, the platform protects the instrument from being damaged if accidentally dropped. In one embodiment of the invention, the body or platform portion of the accessory also serves as a display surface for selectively mounting various indicia which may be used as artistic displays in a variety of choreographed performances such as when the instrument is used in performances by marching bands and the like.
The fingering guide of the present invention provides a plurality of channels which are appropriately oriented over the tone holes and/or keys to be covered by the fingers of the left and right hand when the accessory is mounted to the instrument. The walls defining the channels in the fingering guide effectively limit the horizontal and vertical displacement of the fingers relative to the keys and/or tone holes to thereby insure not only proper finger alignment with respect to the keys or tone holes but to also limit the vertical displacement of the fingers as the instrument is played. In this manner, the fingering guide teaches students the correct positioning and finger movement for proper performance on the instrument.
2. History of the Related Art
The musical instrument accessory of the present invention is specifically designed to be utilized to teach students to play woodwind instruments including the clarinet, flute, bassoon, oboe, piccolo and more recently popular the flutophone or tonette. In each of these instruments, a series of tone holes are arranged along the length of the body of the instrument. In some instruments, movable keys may be associated with one or more of the tone holes. Depending upon which combination of holes and/or keys are covered or closed at a given time, a given note may be played as air is supplied through the mouthpiece into the body of the instrument. As the quality of sound emanating from the instrument is directly dependent upon the effective coverage or opening of each of the various tone holes in the body of the instrument, it is imparative that the fingers be properly positioned with respect to such tone holes at all times. Therefore, it is important that beginning students be taught proper finger positioning as well as proper finger movement as soon as possible in the instructional process. Finger movement relative to a woodwind instrument includes the amount of vertical lift or displacement of the fingers relative to the tone holes or keys as the instrument is played. Many students have the tendency to raise their fingers too far from the openings or holes and this may create a situation where there is a delay in the formation of a proper note. Once a student has mastered the proper fingering positioning and movement, fingering guides such as those disclosed with the present invention are generally not necessary.
In the woodwind family, a number of the openings or valve keys for the tone hole openings are designated by the first, second, third or fourth finger of the left or right hand. In addition, supplemental keys which are specific notes or numbered keys may be also provided as well as octave keys which are selectively covered or operated to obtain a different tonal quality or note.
In the past, there have been a number of training or educational accessories for woodwind instruments which were designed to be mounted to the body of the instrument to regulate movement of the fingers relative to the numbered openings or tone hole openings or valves of the instrument. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,556,535 to Hansen, a fingering guide for clarinets is disclosed which includes a ring mount which is disposed about the body of the clarinet intermediate the left and right hand positions. A horizontal guide bar is mounted to a vertical post extending from the ring mount and is selectively adjustable vertically relative to the tone hole openings in the clarinet. The training device or finger guide of Hansen is utilized to regulate the vertical lift of the fingers relative to the tone holes. Unfortunately, this type of fingering guide does not provide any positive means for insuring proper alignment of the fingers with respect to the tone holes or valves of the instrument. Therefore, the fingers may be moved laterally with respect to the tone holes and thereby not be properly positioned for closure of the openings when various notes are to be played. Also, even though some structure is provided for limiting the vertical displacement of the fingers relative to the tone holes during the use of the instrument, as only a single horizontal bar member is provided, the hands may be rotated relative to the bar and thereby the fingers displaced at differing elevations depending upon the positioning of the hand relative to the body of the instrument. In addition, the type of mounting arrangement disclosed in Hansen does not facilitate the use of the guide in instruments having keys or valves mounted along the body of the instrument as the mounting clamp could not be moved passed such valves or keys to provide proper installation on an instrument utilizing or having such valves or keys.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,918,838 to Worrel, another fingering guide is disclosed which may be utilized with instruments such as trumpets or clarinets. With this type of finger guide, a pair of spaced mounting collars are provided adjacent the bell and the mouthpiece ends of the instrument with an elongated rod extending between the two mounting collars and in spaced relationship with respect to the tone hole openings or keys. As with the prior structure of fingering guide disclosed in Hansen, the fingering guide of Worrel only provides for regulating vertical displacement of the fingers relative to the tone holes or keys and does not provide positive alignment of the left and right hand fingers with respect to the given left and right hand tone holes or keys of the instrument.
Another type of fingering guide which is substantially similar to that of Hansen is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,263 to Larsen. In this structure, a pair of clamps are again mounted adjacent to the bell and mouthpiece of a clarinet. An elongated rod having a first portion which extends generally parallel to the left hand tone holes and a second offset portion which extends over the right hand tone hole openings is mounted to the clamps. A pair of fourth finger guide tongues are also mounted on each of the first and second portions of the finger guide bar. As with the prior structures, there is no provision in the fingering guide for insuring proper alignment or positioning of the left or right hand fingers over the respective tone holes of the instrument. The guide is primarily provided for regulating the vertical displacement of the fingers relative to the tone holes.
Another problem not addressed by prior art fingering guide structures is the protection of the instrument especially when the instruments are being played by students who have generally not had proper training in the handling and care of what may be expensive musical instruments. Frequently, a new student will lose a proper grip on an instrument causing the instrument to fall to the floor where the impact can result in damage to the valves or keys associated with the tone holes. Damage can also occur to the valves or keys of instruments by simply placing the instruments on an unprotected or hard surface without placing the instrument with proper care. Prior art instructional devices for guiding the finger movement relative to a woodwind instrument do not provide adequate protection for such instruments during use or support for such instruments when not in use.
Some additional prior art fingering guide devices include U.S. Pat. Nos. 389,346 to Utzinger and 4,099,442 to Amadio.